


Undervault

by Sternenstaub



Category: Original Work
Genre: 1920´s society, Arranged Marriage, Dystopian, Underground, mother with children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 22:13:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11792544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sternenstaub/pseuds/Sternenstaub
Summary: Our children only know the grey and brown ceilings of our vault. They have never seen the blue sky or a flower that has not been raised under glass. The Vault it where they are born and where they are going to die. Layers upon layers of apartments and working stations, all circled around the turbine giving us life. The heat from the magma is led through it, producing electricity and heat.The poor live either next to the turbine where the heat is worse than most fevers and children die of heatstroke regularly or on the outermost layer where the warmth of our lifesaving technology barely reaches. People who have had more luck in life are allowed to live in the comfortable areas. Big apartment with perfect climate, many lights and high ceiling. lavishly decorated with everything our ancestors brought and taught us.





	1. Dear EVA

**One**

“Dear EVA,

I am a young mother and wanted to ask whether you believe if my children will ever be able to see the surface? I know I wasn´t able to, as the generations before us, but I so hope for my little boy to see the sky. I was told it looked beautiful.” --- a loyal reader

 

Dear Reader,

 

congratulations on a successful birth. The Vault needs every new life and values your contribution to our mutual survival. To answer your question I would have to repeat a few facts we all know from our history lessons.

 

After the first and only World War ended, a golden era began. We were able to live in peace again. But some still feared. Biological weapons, we knew existed, had never been found and we were not sure if their development had been stopped. But overall it was an era of peace, wealth and happiness.

In 1928 the Virus broke out. People suddenly became sick all over the world. They started attacking everyone in sight, some were even reported to eat their victims.

 

Soon, we at EVA, noticed that very few people seemed to be immune. We discovered certain genetic markers were common in these groups. The groups differed greatly in race and origin, but every single one had this genetic marker.

Our attempts at finding a therapy were sadly fruitless. We were soon not enough people. Most of the world's population had been infected.

 

But there was one solution. EVA had prepared an underground vault, that had been built during WW I but never used. It had enough space for several thousands of people, it was autark and didn´t need outside resources. (As you know, our energy is harnessed with a turbine from the magma flow below us. Food can be produced thanks to artificial UV-lamps.)

EVA decided to evacuate every immune person underground until the Virus had vanished.

As we all know, the virus did not die out within a few months or years, as was estimated. The few attacks from animals that clearly have been infected show us that the surface is still not safe.

 

To keep the Vault safe from possible infections every person has to undergo a medical examination at the latest on their 8th birthday. If they carry the genetic marker we all share, they are welcome to stay in our marvelous home. So far every single child has passed this examination.

Rumors about exiles, people who have not the markers, called “aliens”, are not to be believed. Your children are safe with us.

 

We are studying at full stretch to be able to give an estimation when the surface will be viable again. As of now, 176 years after our life in the Vault began, we can not say, if the virus will have died after 200 years.

But EVA knows, your son will lead a productive and healthy live in our Vault, once the Tests at his 8th birthday show him free of any alien genes, as we are sure they will.

 

Sincerely,

Your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

**Two**

“Dear EVA,

I was told today in school that our home is located right over a volcano? Is that safe?” --- a concerned schoolboy

 

Dear schoolboy,

 

We are happy to see young people interested in our technology and question the way the Vault was built. We wouldn´t be surprised if you decide to work for our turbine department later in life.

 

The Vault is not built on top of a volcano. In fact, Volcanoes are on the surface and can be dangerous should they erupt. Our Vault was built on top of a magma chamber, like every Vault all over the world.

 

The turbine in our center, our heart, uses the heat and steam from the magma to produce energy. The heat also temperate the Vault with the help of modern air conditioning units. Without it, we wouldn´t have electricity and consequently no UV-lamps and crops. The outer layers are colder than the middle ground apartments and the most centered ones are warmer due to that build.

 

You might have wondered why people life in the inner layers of their own free will. These are the people who keep us safe. They maintain the turbine in good condition and ensure our mutual survival. It is a hard but fulfilling profession. Rumors about people dying from heatstroke or harsh working conditions are not to be believed.

 

The turbine is our heart and the mother of the Vault. We pride us greatly in having played a big part in her development on the surface many decades ago. It was not entirely our idea of course, the Gutenberg family was part of the leading scientists of that time. It was their theory to use the heat and steam the chamber releases and ensure thus our continued survival.

 

Magma chambers have a long life and since the heat is used, it is unlikely that it will ever erupt and create a volcano. Even if such a situation should arise, we have taken precautionary measures. Nothing will happen to our home.

 

We thank you for your interest in the backgrounds of our life. Many people wouldn´t have thought to ask such a question.

 

Sincerely,

your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

**Three**

“Dear EVA,

lately the sirens warned from attacks from the surface. Can you tell me more about the people living up there?” --- a curious Biology student

 

Dear student,

 

We are happy to see young people take an interest in science and biology. We hope you will be helpful in creating better crops for our community in the future.

First of all, the beings on the surface are not people. They have not been fully sentient humans for the longest time. While we can´t say for certain how the surface evolved in the last 176 years, we can share, what we have surmised from samples and gained from scientific work.

When the Virus broke out, the affected lost their ability of empathy and emotions. They only knew hunger and rage and started attacking every unaffected person in sight. Some were seen trying to eat their spouses and children. Those who had been bitten but gotten away with their life soon changed into the same senseless rage fueled state.

 

After a time even bigger animals started to carry the disease. While it did not break out in them, they could still infect us. Thus animals are strictly forbidden in our Vault. We have perfected to live a healthy vegan lifestyle.

 

The sirens warn from animals trying to get into our air pipes or find another way into the vault. We can assure you, none ever actually entered inhabited spaces.

 

So far we still don´t know how or why the virus broke out, but the most likely theory is a biological weapon that had been released by either terrorists or accident and had unexpected consequences.

The disease could not be stopped, we never found a cure. Offspring of infected beings all carried the same virus in their blood. While they acted like actual persons in their youth, the Virus would invariably break out.

Rumors about EVA leaving unconfirmed toddlers for dead during the evacuation are not to be believed. We diligently tested every person before moving into the vault.

 

Thanks to our timely escape we made sure to save as many people as possible.

The Vault, built in 1913, had been updated to our modern standards of 1928. We led every unaffected person to their nearest vault.

Suddenly everyone was living in the same conditions. Many people had to overthink their prejudices, Humanity could not afford to snob other survivors based on their former social standing. We are all the same. We are all survivors. And we all carry the responsibility on our shoulders to work towards our continued survival.

 

Living closer or farther away from the turbine does not determine your social status. While people in the hot zones are doing hard physical labour, they are essential for our survival. The outer rings are cold and harsh, but without them, the walls would someday crumble upon us. Those people are just as essential, as the administration in the middle rings.

 

We are a community of equal survivors, waiting for a time when our children can return to their rightful places.

 

Sincerely,

your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

**Four**

“Dear EVA,

I didn´t quite understand what lead to the Virus being released and our escape into the Vault. Could you please elaborate?” --- a confused booklover

 

Dear booklover,

 

we thank you for your question and can understand fully how the society and politics of the surface in the past can seem confusing for anyone who has been born here.

On the surface there were several countries with different political views. Sometimes countries decided those differences could only resolved through violence.

 

World War one broke out on the 28th July 1914 and ended on 11th November 1918. Different, by now dead, economical superpowers were fighting in Europe. (please refer to your history books for more information on Europe and its Vaults)

 

The horrors of the war were overshadowed by an even greater fear. People were starting to design biological weapons to gain an advantage in their war efforts. Science developed faster than anyone could have expected and soon it had been made clear most superpowers had biological weapons in their arsenal.

Those had never been officially released until the end of the great war.

 

The next ten years the economy flourished and we lived in a Golden era of peace. Only few people were asking what had happened to the designed weapons.

 

Until the Virus broke out. It has never been proven who released the Virus, just that it had been developed during the war and was much more effective than anyone had ever expected.

People perished in their thousands, economies collapsed and counties fell one after the other within just a few months.

 

The last choice was our escape underground. And history has shown this choice as the right one.

 

Since our flight, our society started to flourish again. While many occupations don´t exist anymore underground, we still can promise every adult a fulfilling job and home.

For 176 years nothing more earth shattering than the Gutenberg family, the inventors of our turbine, stopping being our leaders and the Stevensson´s taking the lead of our government happened. Rumors about a violent takeover are not to be believed.

 

Living in peace for all your life we can understand how the Great War can be confusing.

 

We thank you for your interest.

 

Sincerely,

your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

**Five**

“Dear EVA,

today I stumbled upon a book for old furniture on the surface and it looked so much less appealing than our interior. How did that come?” --- someone who loves his current armchair

 

Dear armchair-lover,

 

We are glad someone gave us the opportunity to talk about the high modern standards of our interior decoration. While the design was created more than 176 years ago on the surface it has not lost it´s beauty until today. Especially since we care meticulously for their continued preservation.

 

At 1925 the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris (please refer to your History book about important european cities for further information), EVA felt their personality and the zeitgeist shown. We refurbished the Vault completely in lavish materials and colours. Modern styles, combined with fine craftsmanship and rich materials. We spared no expenses to create the Vault as comfortable and safe as possible. Not living on the surface did not mean we could not dwell in luxury.

 

Geometric elements were the most practical and beautiful solution to build with minimum space requirements. Additionally the middle rings have been designed to have electricity and light at all times. A happy environment is important for our children to grow up healthy and strong.

Of course not every ring of our vault could be created like that.

 

The inner rings around the turbine had to be practical for workers and able to withstand heat. Most of our infrastructure management is located there for practical purposes. While the outermost rings have been build to raise crops. UV-lamps and artificial greenhouses have a beauty of their own.

Rumors about workers and inhabitants falling through rusty grates and balustrades are not to be believed. It has never been proven to be more than simply human induced accidents. The same applies to the rumors about UV-lamps falling on workers, wounding them. This has only happened one time and been taken care of immediately.

Injuries sustained while residing not within habitation areas are can not be hold against EVA.

 

We created all living areas with the most comfortable materials. Gold, samit and ebony had been used to create the most pleasing experience for our inhabitants. While it may sound like only rich people are allowed to live in this environment, everyone can apply for any apartment. Everyone is equal in our Vault, nobody gets discriminated due to their occupation or birth.

Those living in the inner or outer rings do so out of love for their occupation or free of choice, not due to necessity.

 

Our 25 middle layers have enough space for everyone and every family may apply for bigger rooms at the Living and Survival department in middle layer 16. They will verify your claim meticulously and allocate accordingly.

 

We are sorry but EVA can not disclose information about possible pipes and routes leading to the surface. They are integral parts of the turbine and delicate. Visitations can not be allowed.

 

We thank you for your interest,

 

Sincerely,

your Evaluation Virus Association.


	2. EVA 2

** Six **

Announcement!

Dear Inhabitants, today EVA´s column can't be released due to an important announcement.

 

The time has come for our leader to assess the birth rate within our Vault.

As you all know, every citizen is obliged to prove an offspring to his name.

As of now, every person capable of birth, independently of their gender, has to bear at least two children, one for themselves, one for a freely chosen partner.

Citizens living in relationships that are unlikely to produce offspring have to search for a willing bearer in their stead.

 

For our continued survival it is imperative to maintain our population. Dwindling numbers can soon amount to the demise of the whole Vault.

Every decade our leaders assess the current birth rate ratio and decide whether changes have to be made. Requests from at least 35% of the population can be considered during that assessment period. Rumors about a black market for bearers can not be proven and are not to be subject of requests.

 

While the yearly tests of the 8 year old children for genetic markers gives us a good overview about our population, many other aspects have to be considered. Especially could the birth ratio need to be increased for certain families, if their offspring died before fathering/bearing an own offspring.

 

The assessment will take place for the next 4 weeks. During that time government officials may visit and examine your homes, papers and interview your family members.

We ask all Inhabitants to cooperate. We are all just working to ensure our continued survival.

 

If you have question, please refer to the EVA headquarters in middle layer 15.

 

Your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

** Seven **

“Dear EVA,

my daughter is always asking for a cat. She saw a picture in one of her grade school books and is set on being the first girl in our Vault with a pet. Can you please explain to her why that is impossible.” --- an exhausted mother

 

Dear mother,

 

we are happy to hear you further our continued survival by educating your children accordingly.

Cats and other animals are still part of our education plan, even if our inhabitants have never seen an actual animal.

We can´t forget where we came from and once, when we were still dwelling on the surface, small animals were often held as pets or guardians. Some were even bred and processed into food. An unthinkable thing in our current society.

 

As you know, animals were spreading the disease we fled from. While they never showed symptoms of their own, every human who came in contact was a possible infectant. Thus we at EVA had to plan our survival and everyday life without animals. In their absence we perfected a vegan lifestyle and are able to get all necessary nutriments from our crops.

 

Even now, we don´t know whether animals are still dangerous. The few we found in our systems in the early days were still carriers, it was a blessing our guard reacted so quickly and performed admirably in the face of such a danger.

Rumors about bigger things than animals trying to enter the vault are not to be believed.

 

Since animals endanger our continued survival, we are sad to say, your daughter will never be able to keep a pet.

We at EVA can recommend one of our Bamboo or dwarf tree programs, where children can  learn to take care and grow with a partner tree.

 

Sincerely,

your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

**Eight  
**

Announcement!

We at EVA are happy to announce our new leader has decided to let the people decide about the newly opened secretary position on middle floor 19.

In this unheard of, groundbreaking decision, every eligible inhabitant can choose one of the nominees from the list we have published on every middle layer.

Every registered inhabitant with an assigned place of residence in the middle layer is eligible to vote.

You can change our system! Thanks to our great leaders decision!

 

Vote for our continued survival!

 

Sincerely, your Evaluation Virus Association.

 

Hazel put her newspaper clippings away, when her husband called. Something felt off abot them but she couldn´t pin point what it was. And she couldn´t let her husband see her second guessing EVA, not with the position he just achieved.

She had barely hidden everything, when he walked into the room, with the desperate face of a man  who´s 6 year old daughter refused to put on clothes before she had to leave.

"Dear, talk to her. She refuses to go to the middle floor. She says, she wants to come with us. It´s your job to teach her to listen to me." With that Hazel had to convince a 3 year od about the amazing things that were clothes.

 

Hazel stood up, repressing a groan as her back popped at several places and went to the child care room. Her youngest daughter was sitting on a pile of clothes, all decidedly frilly, and pouted. She could understand why, Martha didn´t want to wear “scratchy and stupid” but they would be seen today. Even just the way to the child care facility could have onlookers hidden who wanted to meet the new secretary and his harmonious family.

 

She took the 3 year old into her arms and tried soothing her, going to the closet, “How about you show me one piece you want to wear and I show you another and together we create a whole new outfit?” she asked a lot more cheerful than she felt. And it worked, the little one stopped pouting and the tears dried up for good. Excitedly she took a dark blue jacket with a swirling pattern and held it up. Together they mixed it with the least frilly dress they could find and used a box instead of flowers for her hair.

 

Now with a cheerful child in her arms, Hazel returned into the living room, just to see her husband waiting impatiently. “Did you have to take so long? And why isn´t Martha wearing the pink dress? That would have fit so much better to the rest of us?” he complained, himself dressed immaculate as always.

 

That moment Beatrice came down the stairs, fighting with a flower in her hair but else perfectly dressed for a 8 years old, what was to say, a bit crumpled but cute.

“Darling, I´m proud of you, you look like a princess of old.”, she told the beaming child, who could hardly contain her excitement. “Do I really have to wait until tomorrow until we get tested, mama? Papa promised me a big piece of cake after it!”, suddenly her face turned a bit fearful, “You don´t think I will fail, do you?”

 

Hazel gulped down her own fear, her uncertainty and softly hugged her daughter, “Don´t worry, you know E.V.A. hasn´t found one child with the gene since their foundation. I´m sure you will be okay.”

 

In the background her husband starting tapping on the table, eager to leave the house and utterly bored with the domestic task of keeping your children sane.

Ignoring her husband, Hazel freed her daughter´s trapped hair patiently, with a kiss on her forehead and a small smile the family deemed themselves ready to leave their home.

**Author's Note:**

> The first 2 Chapters will be EVA collumns, please bear with me.


End file.
